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Elder & Sister Young in the England-London South Mission

Noah: “All aboard!”

Well it has been raining for weeks here, with high gusts of wind at times. The news said it is the rainiest January since 1766 when weather records began. We see huge bands of green on the weather forecast webpage — and France seems to be getting the brunt of it too, reaching into Germany and the low countries of Europe. The threat of a tube strike here was overshadowed by the southwest of England washing away (and preventing tube travel anyway!). Many missionaries in the southwest areas have been helping with flood control, sand bagging, or serving at shelters for evacuees. Here is a picture of flooding in Somerset, England.

However, there is some good news. We have snowdrops and daffodils starting to bloom. They must think it is spring, even though our temperatures have been in the low 40s F (5-7 C) for weeks. There are buds on the trees, so we hope the weather will improve soon.

Some more exciting news is the construction of a YSA Institute building in Manchester. Five years ago local leaders were looking for a new place to hold Institute, preferably close to the campus of University of Manchester. They found a building in a great spot, and Elder Perry suggested that instead of renovating they build an entirely new building to meet their needs. After three years of construction, it is almost ready to open. The planned launch this week is halted because the architect/contractor have not given/received final approval. The 5-story building houses a chapel plus areas for study and recreation. AND it will be used by a brand-new YSA Ward, the second in England (Hyde Park Ward in London was the first). We are excited for this opportunity for our YSAs who may want to attend university away from home but still have the support of the faithful.